I do not have a good nose for wine, but know what I like in my rieslings. I am at the stage where I want to learn about the subtleties of flavor and character due to climate, vitner, and soil, etc. What current books in publication should a riesling enthusiast pick up and read? Perferrably a good read, not one that reads like a textbook. Thanks.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Riesling is truly one of the great wine grapes and is capable of making virtually every style of wine including sparkling, bone dry, off dry, sweet and botrytis-affected white wines. There are certainly many variations of taste according to country and region - just compare examples from France, Austria, Germany and Australia. A very handy and informative guide to Riesling can be viewed online at rieslingrules.com. They will also send you a printed copy if you request one. If you want a recent book with more substance, look for "Riesling Renaissance" by Janet Price. An excellent if now dated book that may take some hunting to locate is Stuart Pigott's "Riesling". It has a very insightful discussion of the various aromas and tastes of Riesling coming from different growing conditions.
